Chapter Fifteen: The Sky That Shouldn't Break
The cracks in the moonlight didn't fade.
They widened—thin glowing veins stretching across the night sky like splintered crystal. The air grew colder, heavier, buzzing with energy that didn't belong on Earth.
Dara stared upward with his mouth slightly open.
"Bro… I'm starting to think heaven has anger issues."
Aiden didn't look away from the fractured sky.
"No. This is controlled. Someone's forcing it open."
The System appeared beside him, its holographic form flickering.
[CELESTIAL BREACH: PHASE 1 COMPLETE]
[ENERGY SIGNATURES DETECTED — WEAPONS-GRADE]
[RECOMMENDATION: RELOCATE IMMEDIATELY]
Dara leaned toward the System.
"Uh, relocate WHERE? The whole planet is the battlefield now!"
Maya stood up slowly, the soft silver glow around her pulsing like a heartbeat.
"It's them," she said quietly. "The Dominion. They're coming closer now that I'm awake."
Aiden moved in front of her without thinking.
"Maya, stay behind me."
She looked at him—no fear this time, just calm awareness.
"The First Star says they won't send their strongest yet. Only scouts."
Dara blinked.
"Scouts? Like… birds? Drones? Space angels with clipboards?"
Maya shook her head.
"Faster. Meaner."
The ground beneath them thrummed.
A rhythmic pulse.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
At first Aiden thought it was distant explosions.
Then he realized:
It was footsteps.
Heavy ones.
Approaching from the far edge of the ruined street.
A figure stepped into view—moving through the dust, tall, armored, and shaped like a human but glowing faintly around the joints.
Dara squinted.
"Is that… a robot?"
Aiden's eyes narrowed.
"No. That's a Celestial Scout."
The System confirmed.
[IDENTITY: LOW-RANK CELESTIAL HUNTER DRONE]
[RANK: C+]
[PURPOSE: LOCATE TARGET — STAR-VESSEL]
Dara pointed.
"Okay cool but WHY IS IT LOOKING AT US LIKE WE STOLE ITS LUNCH?"
The drone's head tilted.
Its eyes glowed bright blue.
Then it locked onto Maya.
A flat mechanical voice spoke:
"TARGET ACQUIRED: STAR-VESSEL.
COMMENCING CAPTURE PROTOCOL."
Aiden stepped forward.
"No. You're not taking her."
The drone didn't hesitate—it lunged with inhuman speed, arms transforming into glowing plasma blades.
Aiden's fist lit up gold instantly.
CLASH—!!
His punch met the drone's strike, sending sparks flying across the broken street.
The drone staggered back.
Dara pumped a fist.
"YES! That's what I'm talking about!"
The drone recalibrated.
"WARNING: HOSTILE RESISTANCE DETECTED.
ENGAGING FULL MODE."
Its armor split open in several places, revealing glowing energy conduits. Four more arms unfolded beneath the main two, each ending in a different weapon—spear, cannon, blade, and restraint coil.
Dara stared.
"Bro… that's cheating. That's MULTI-cheating."
Aiden took a breath.
"Maya, stay behind me."
She nodded and stepped back calmly.
The drone attacked again—
six weapons at once.
Aiden moved.
Golden light burst from his feet as he dodged the spear, ducked under the cannon blast, and countered the top blade with a glowing punch.
The street cracked beneath them.
Dara backed up quickly. "Yeah I'm just gonna… not die today."
Aiden landed hard, sliding across debris.
"Maya—any weaknesses?"
Maya closed her eyes briefly, listening to something Aiden couldn't hear.
Then she pointed.
"The right side. Behind the vent plate. Hit it hard."
Aiden didn't question it.
He charged.
The drone lashed out with all six arms—
Aiden deflected two, jumped over one, blocked another with his forearm—
And slammed his fist into the exact spot Maya had pointed to.
BOOOOM—!!!
The drone's core sputtered.
Cracks spread across its chest.
"ERROR.
ERROR.
CRITICAL DAMAGE—"
Aiden grabbed it by the head and smashed it into the ground.
The drone sparked once…
Twice…
Then fell silent.
Dara exhaled loudly.
"Bro. BRO. That was CLEAN."
But Aiden wasn't celebrating.
He stared at the broken drone.
"Why send something this weak?"
Maya answered without hesitation.
"They weren't testing you."
Aiden raised an eyebrow.
"…Then what?"
Maya tilted her head up toward the cracked sky.
"They were testing how fast I react."
The street grew colder.
Aiden looked up—
And froze.
Through the expanding crack in the heavens…
A second figure descended.
This one wasn't a drone.
It wasn't glowing artificially.
It wasn't mechanical.
It was a person.
Armored.
Tall.
Radiating real celestial pressure.
Dara's voice shook.
"Okay… see… I KNEW the first one was too easy…"
Aiden clenched his fists.
Maya's glow brightened instinctively.
The newcomer landed silently, dust swirling around their boots.
Their voice cut through the night:
"Return the Star-Vessel.
Or be erased."
Aiden stepped forward, aura flaring.
"I'm getting tired of saying this."
He pointed at Maya.
"She's not going anywhere."
Maya stepped closer behind Aiden.
Dara moved beside them, gripping a metal pipe like it actually mattered.
The celestial warrior raised their weapon.
"Very well."
Aiden's eyes burned gold.
"Round two, then."